Indonesia suspects human trafficking is behind the increasing number of Rohingya refugees

Published December 8, 2023 8:58 AM

By EDNA TARIGAN and RAHMAT MIRZA
Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s president says his government blames a surge in human trafficking for the increasing number of Rohingya Muslims who have entered the country over the past few weeks. President Joko Widodo said in a televised news conference on Friday that he received “reports about the increasing number of Rohingya refugees entering Indonesian territory, especially Aceh Province.” He pledged that the authorities would “take firm action against perpetrators of human trafficking.” Police said they arrested three Aceh residents for human trafficking on Friday, accusing them of helping 30 Rohingya refugees leave their camp in the city of Lhokseumawe.

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